December 1, 2016
by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School
With my son Mateo, it’s all about the right fit. There is nothing more challenging than taking him clothes shopping. Clothes cannot be too tight or too scratchy, and must feel good. I’ve given up trying to get him to wear anything other than Under Armour shirts and pants. You won’t find any nice family portraits in our home with color coordinated, matching outfits!
Selecting a college is similar to clothes shopping with Mateo. The approach of MPA’s college planning process is to find the right fit for each student, which reflects our commitment to provide a highly personalized approach and individualized attention. The right fit comes also as a result of research and self-reflection, the intellectual ambition of students with what the college or university offers.
We take pride in our approach to finding schools that align with the interests, priorities, passions, and aspirations of our students. Some MPA students choose Ivy League or comparably selective schools. But this is because of their own search process and initiative, not as a result of MPA pushing students so that the list “looks good” in marketing materials. It is not uncommon for some independent schools to measure their success by the number of students attending high-profile schools, but not MPA.
As an independent college preparatory school, we have an intentional college-going culture. We are very proud of our graduates, the colleges and universities they choose, and the success they enjoy. The MPA Class of 2016 received offers of admission from 127 different schools in 28 states, Washington, D.C., and France. In August, they left home to attend 33 different schools in 19 states and the District of Columbia. The college application process for the Class of 2017 is now in full swing. This fall, MPA welcomed admission representatives from more than 106 colleges and universities in 31 states, the District of Columbia, England, Switzerland, and Canada—all of them interested in meeting with our students.
As the college (and application) landscape continues to evolve, we are extremely fortunate to have Director of College Counseling, Lisa Pederson, at the helm taking great care to meet regularly with students and their families. Upper School students also benefit from the MPA seminar program. Through the program, students access developmentally appropriate college planning content throughout their Upper School years, and learn how to incorporate new information and opportunities as they emerge. The seminar program is further enhanced by the additional personalized attention that Director of Guidance, Randy Comfort, will provide to students in the early years of Upper School, leading to the existing individual focus on the college process in the junior and senior years.
I had the great pleasure of spending time Tuesday afternoon with parents of the Class of 2016. MPA has a wonderful tradition of sending care packages to our recent graduates who are in their first year of college. “Grade 13” parents and MPA faculty and staff gather for a reunion of sorts as they stuff large envelops with snacks and treats to carry our alums through college finals. I love hearing stories of how the students are doing and how they are settling in to college life. Inevitably, there are countless stories of how well prepared they are for their coursework and how much they appreciate the education they received at MPA.
From the casual conversations with alums as they return to MPA to visit, and from time spent with parents of alumni, I find MPA’s “right fit” approach to college planning affirmed again and again.
